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Early Cretaceous planktonic foraminiferal assemblages include rare planispiral and pseudoplanispiral morphotypes with elongate chambers that BouDagher-Fadel et al. assigned to Schackoina or accommodated in the new genus Claviblowiella. New findings of well-preserved planktonic foraminiferal faunas from the Lesches en Diois (SE France) section, the Cismon core (NE Italy), the Calabianca (NW Sicily) section and the Upper Aptian of Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 545 drilled off Morocco, have allowed a better understanding of the morphological features of these rare, unevenly distributed taxa. Our data demonstrate that each small planispiral species with globular chambers has a corresponding “clavate” morphotype which (as the “normal” forms) exhibits a smooth, finely perforate wall. Consequently, the latter have been assigned here to the genus Globigerinelloides and treated as subspecies of the “non-clavate” taxa. The (clavate) subspecies belonging to the genus Globigerinelloides here retained are G. duboisi sigali Longoria, G. maridalensis elongatus subsp. nov., G. blowi lobatus subsp. nov. and G. paragottisi clavatus subsp. nov., while Globigerinelloides minai Obregon de la Parra is not retained. In addition, a new genus, Pseudoschackoina, type species Planomalina saundersi Bolli (senior synonym of Hastigerinoides cepedai Obregon de la Parra, has been formalised for individuals possessing elongate, pointed, laterally compressed chambers, bearing tubulospines arranged on a pseudoplanispiral (dysaxial) coiling mode. Stratigraphically, in the sections studied the first taxon to appear is Pseudoschackoina saundersi, in the uppermost part of the Selli Level (=OAE1a), immediately followed, just above the OAE1a, by all the “clavate” globigerinelloidids. Regarding the last occurrences, Pseudoschackoina saundersi and G. maridalensis elongatus disappear in the lower part of the Globigerinelloides algerianus Zone, Globigerinelloides paragottisi clavatus at the top of the same zone, while Globigerinelloides blowi lobatus and G. duboisi sigali range up to the lower part of the Ticinella bejaouaensis Zone.

A multidisciplinary study of the upper Albian—Cenomanian portion of the Cismon section (Venetian region, northern Italy) was undertaken in order to characterize the cyclic alternations of carbonate-rich and carbonate-poor layers and to investigate their possible origin and cyclic patterns. Limestone semicouplets are characterized by abundant radiolarians and micarbs (micron-sized calcitic fragments), common planktonic foraminifera, strong bioturbation, good oxygenation as expressed by the Mn* and V/(V+Ni) parameters, high Si/Al ratio, low K/Al, in the absence of pyrite and organic matter. The marlstone semicouplets are, on the contrary, frequently laminated, rich in pyrite and organic matter with common fish remains in the absence of radiolarians. The Mn* and V/(V+Ni) parameters indicate that the marlstone deposition occurred in dysoxic to anoxic conditions, which allowed the preservation of organic matter. The low Si/Al ratio and high K/Al ratio, the latter related to abundant feldspars, indicate that marlstones received a substantial contribution from a terrigenous source. The abundance of biogenic silica suggests that during limestone deposition surface waters were rather fertile due to an efficient recycling of nutrients from deeper waters. The enhanced fertility was coupled with an efficient current system at the welloxygenated sea floor which prevented the organic matter from accumulating. During marlstone deposition, surface waters were less fertile than in the limestone semicouplets, but still within the mesotrophic spectrum as indicated by the presence of fertility index species among calcareous nannofossils, whereas the bottom waters were oxygen-depleted. To accommodate fertility at the surface with stagnation at the bottom the scenario implies an enhanced stratification caused by an increase in freshwater runoff monitored by 18O-depleted δ values. In the meantime, the water discharge supplied the nutrients to the surface waters necessary for the calcareous nannofossils to proliferate. The cyclic organization of limestone/marlstone couplets as revealed by power spectral analysis seems to represent climatic cycles. The alternating conditions are (1) efficient mixing, highly fertile surface and near-surface waters, and a well-oxygenated seafloor to (2) enhanced water runoff or decreased evaporation, or both, and oxygen-depleted bottom waters. We suggest that this deterministic sedimentary cyclicity could be explained by periodic orbital-climatic cycles, in tune with the Milankovitch cycles. Within this scenario, the latest Cenomanian Bonarelli Level is an exceptional event marked by a large positive δ13C spike. It is characterized by high to very high fertility conditions in surface waters caused by increased upwelling that engendered high nutrient levels in near-surface waters. The enhanced production of organic matter was in excess for the oxygen available at the bottom floor, thus allowing the organic matter to accumulate in the sediments.

We have made oxygen and carbon isotope measurements on limestone samples of Albian to Eocene age recovered from the Bottaccione Gorge section in the Umbrian Apennines, central Italy. Additional measurements have been made on topmost Maastrichtian and Palaeocene sediments from the adjacent Contessa Highway section. Our data from the Bottaccione Gorge show 13C maxima at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary and during the Palaeocene, as well as a pronounced 13C minimum 7 metres above the clay layer at the K/T boundary. Our data from the Contessa Highway show a 13C minimum 9 metres above the K/T boundary clay. These minima are probably diagenetic artifacts. In the Bottaccione Gorge there is evidence for a hiatus in the early Middle Eocene. The Palaeocene of the Bottaccione Gorge appears to have been affected by slumping or faulting (in addition to the diagenetic overprinting) giving a spurious δ13C recovery after the K/T boundary, the Contessa Highway section appears to be more complete. The Coniacian-Maastrictian is characterized by relatively stable 13C values. Our data indicate an increase in δ18O (and therefore possible cooling) across the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in both the Bottaccione and Contessa Highway sections.

Publisher Summary Detailed biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic studies on Eocene–Oligocene pelagic sequences from Umbria (Central Italy) revealed that deposition across the Eocene–Oligocene boundary was continuous and undisturbed in that area. This chapter presents the data from eight stratigraphic sequences spanning the interval from the Early to Middle Eocene boundary through the Early Oligocene with specific emphasis on the events at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary. To have a complete biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic record, the Contessa highway section was sampled upwards into the northwestern quarry—that mirrors the Contessa quarry of Lowrie—where the Eocene–Oligocene boundary is undisturbed. Lithologically, the scaglia formation is very monotonous except for the major color changes. Visual correlations among sections are limited to minor changes that are not easily detected. Some of these changes, however, appear to be of larger (not local) significance.

Drilling results from mid-Pacific atoll and archipelagic apron sites in the Line Islands and Marshall Islands provinces lead to the conclusion that Oligocene sea-level falls detected in Atlantic passive margin sequences are also recorded in a mid-plate-tectonic setting in the Pacific Basin. The mid-Pacific sea-level falls are recorded by (a) the presence of distinct, coarse-grained, graded beds of turbidite origin, rich in reef-derived skeletal debris of Oligocene, Eocene, and Cretaceous age, that were redeposited in deep-water archipelagic apron carbonate sequences of middle and late Oligocene age now flanking the atolls and (b) a marked stratigraphic hiatus and solution unconformity in the subsurface of Enewetak atoll which dates an Oligocene period of atoll emergence correlative with both the deposition of the turbidites and the coastal offlap events discerned in Atlantic passive margins. Correlation of the subsidence path of Enewetak atoll with the development of the Oligocene solution unconformity shows that ca. 30 Ma sea level was as much as 100 m lower than at present.

The marly sediments of the Blue Clay Formation in the upper part of the Middle Miocene Ras il-Pellegrin composite section (Malta island, central Mediterranean) have been investigated by integrated analysis of benthic microfauna and planktonic and benthic oxygen isotopes. The astronomical calibration of the whole section, obtained by using the astronomical solution of Laskar et al. (1993), indicates for deposition of the analysed sediments a time interval ranging between 13.75 and 12.32 Ma (Sprovieri et al., 2002). This time interval is useful to investigate the oceanographic evolution of the (paleo)Mediterranean after the interruption of communications between the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific areas. This important paleogeographic event, estimated at about 16 Ma by Johnson (1985) and at about 14.5 Ma by Woodruff and Savin (1991), represented the first step of a progressive oceanographic evolution of the Tethys region water masses towards present Mediterranean conditions. A comparison of long-term planktonic and benthic d18O trends suggests that the intermediate outflowing Mediterranean water (proto-MIW), originated in the surface eastern zone of upper Langhian lower Serravallian (paleo)Mediterranean, had hydrographic and hydrodynamic features similar to those of the present Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW). Focusing our attention on benthic species which can be considered the best recorders of variation of proto-MIW production, we elaborated benthic data by Q-mode varimax principal factor analysis. Spectral analysis was carried out only on two factors which have a clear paleoecological significance: Factor 1 (loaded by Cibicidoides ungerianus and Siphonina reticulata) indicative of oxic bottom waters and Factor 2 (loaded by Bulimina elongata group) indicative of oxygen stressed conditions. Results of these analyses show that Factor 1 and Factor 2 curves are respectively in and out of phase with maxima of the eccentricity (100 and 400 kyr). Factor 1 is interpreted as a tracer of high production of proto-MIW, during periods of high eccentricity and, probably, precession minima, characterized by coldest winter seasons. These results point out a direct link between selected benthic species, long term astronomical forcing, and deep water response and provide an useful tool for astronomical calibration of geological time and paleoceanographic reconstructions.